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Preparing for Demigod v1.1

By on June 23, 2009 4:12:49 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

Sometime tomorrow we expect to release Demigod v1.1.  This is definitely the biggest update since the initial release of the game. Gas Powered Games has been burning the midnight oil to make a fantastic update!

The full highlights will be released tomorrow but here are a few things:

Team conceding will be in. Random demigod option is in. Updated AI is in. Reduced experience and gold from killing priests and angels is in. Heart of life has been nerfed. Tighter integration with the new online system is in for custom games.

Now, one of the things we read on the forums are suggestions on how to keep the community growing.  Let me touch on that here a bit.

First off, since the connectivity issues have been largely resolved, the number of open games sitting around has dropped dramatically. I’ve seen people post that this means the game must be losing popularity.

Technically speaking, the popularity of a game has no bearing on the # of open games. The # of open games is a function of how long it takes to get a game going. Ideally, a person creates a custom game, it fills up and gets started as fast as possible.

The only change is that now that connectivity actually works right, people can set up games quickly whereas at launch, well, let’s charitably say it took longer to get a game set up…

We are going to put up a page that graphs out the online population so people know when the best times to play are. 

What determines the success of a game online is how many people there are online to play with at a given time. And that number has steadily been going up – at least since connectivity got fixed.

The Road Map

As many of you know, I talk to Gas Powered Games every day.  Now, I have seen it argued that game developers will release a game, put out a patch or two and then abandon it.  I want to assure you that this is not the path for Demigod.  We believe the game needs long-term love and care to keep it growing over time.

While we are pleased to have another sales hit on our hands, we recognize that Demigod is different from other games in that it has the potential to keep selling strongly into the long-term.

This past week we nailed down with Gas Powered Games the plans for Demigod v1.2. The 3 big items are:

  • Robust Replay support.
  • Native modding support.
  • Clan support.

We are also discussing passionately the development of more Demigods. GPG has come up with a really cool modding system for Demigod that would practically make mods be very similar to game options in game. It looks pretty sweet.

My 2 cents

Now, speaking just for myself, not even for Stardock here just my 2 cents as a gamer on what Demigod needs to keep growing. If I were the “god” of Demgiod and budget was no concern, this is what we’d see:

  1. New Demigod released every 60 days
  2. New map released every 60 days
  3. New favor items added every 30 days
  4. Pantheon and Skirmish experience enhanced to let players choose team joins
  5. Pantheon and skirmish would center around a particular player and add people to that joined game.
  6. Maps that support 1 on 1 games.
  7. Players could select the team size preference in pantheon/skirmish games (from 1 to 5 players).
  8. Ability to grab a group of friends or clan members to get into a game from outside the game.
  9. Native voice over IP.
  10. Significant game play enhancements every 90 days (i.e. some new game element).
  11. A robust way to control who you play with when you’re playing non-competitively.
  12. Continual evolution of balance and game play.

Those are the kinds of things I’d like to see. But budgets are finite of course and resources are more finite still.  Sometimes there is “the guy” who is critical to make something happen but he’s not available to do X right now.  I can tell ya, only a network administrator could even begin to adequately explain what mountains had to be moved in order for us to step in and build, largely from scratch, in 30 days a whole new multiplayer connectivity system that handles direct connect, NAT connect, and international proxy hosting on the fly.  We had to basically take our top developers from across all projects and put them on this project. That is a feat that can’t be easily duplicated (and it was why I was so directly involved because I had to “steal” core developers from Impulse, Object Desktop, WindowBlinds, and Elemental to make it happen). 

So one of the things to bear in mind is that recognizing what needs to be done and being able to do it are often two different things. If sales continue as strongly as they are now, I think we’ll be able to do most of what’s listed up there but only time will tell. Like I said, I’m just speaking for myself and looking at Demigod in a vacuum.  But you can rest assured that we’ll do as many of them as we can and push for GPG to get in as many as they can get in or let us take care of it for them. It’s not as straight forward as it seems though.

I’m a big believer in treating games as assets. They can live long into the future. I played Total Annihilation for years after it was released. I’m sure there are people here who are like me in that way.  Heck, I still code on Galactic Civilizations II’s AI on occasion for enjoyment.

So anyway, version v1.1 is about 24 hours away from release. We’re very excited to see how people like it and we hope it’s the first of many updates.

+912 Karma | 136 Replies
June 23, 2009 4:08:02 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Awesome! I can't wait for new content!

June 23, 2009 4:11:36 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Is there a chance we can get a sneak peak at the change log?

June 23, 2009 4:13:44 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

New Demigod released every 60 days
New map released every 60 days
New favor items added every 30 days
Pantheon and Skirmish experience enhanced to let players choose team joins
Pantheon and skirmish would center around a particular player and add people to that joined game.
Maps that support 1 on 1 games.
Players could select the team size preference in pantheon/skirmish games (from 1 to 5 players).
Ability to grab a group of friends or clan members to get into a game from outside the game.
Native voice over IP.
Significant game play enhancements every 90 days (i.e. some new game element).
A robust way to control who you play with when you’re playing non-competitively.
Continual evolution of balance and game play.

I love these ideas. It's sad really to think that in probably just a few threads from this one (maybe even in this one itself), people will refer to these as 'promises' that are forthcoming.

Good job on the updates though GPG and Stardock. Looking forward to better AI myself.

June 23, 2009 4:16:33 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Sounds great as always! Lets hope its a winner this time eh?

June 23, 2009 4:24:53 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Very nice. Looking forward to the update.

June 23, 2009 4:27:18 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I hope AI becomes so good that an AI killing XP/gold reduction isn't needed... but I don't think that's possible. So it's still auto lose if you have a bot teammate?

June 23, 2009 4:47:38 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Great news!!!

 

Team conceding will be in. Random demigod option is in. Updated AI is in. Reduced experience and gold from killing priests and angels is in. Heart of life has been nerfed. Tighter integration with the new online system is in for custom games.

 

Awesome updates!!! Can't wait to see what difference the lowered priest XP and gold gives!!!

June 23, 2009 4:48:05 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

gotta admit that its usually auto lose in any team-based game (regardless of genre but definitely RTS type games) if one of your guys quit and you are left with an ai...can't really single demigod out on that...

 

Anyway, 1.1 looks exciting and 1.2 looks even more awesome!

June 23, 2009 4:48:48 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I can't wait.  I've been putting off playing a lot in anticipation of 1.1.  It is SO great that people can now "help" by getting Priests/Angels without getting flammed in game chat now. I was going to start a seperate thread for this, but perhaps this is a better place to put this:

I hope after 1.1, people will "reset" their personal ban lists the same way the game is reseting stats and favor, and give everyone a new chance.  There was a lot of hot tempers out there with all the difficulties the game had on release and some of the balance issues.  But with 1.1, team concede, and the other tweaks, maybe the Demigod community can have a new "epoch" too.

If someone is still being a major jerk or RQ'er, the put them back on your list, but I'm guessing with new players now becomming experienced and connectivity fairly stable, we can all get down to having fun with this great game

 

June 23, 2009 4:49:54 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Sounds like a great update, and an excellent selection of items for 1.3 as well!

 

I guess I'm sort of a different gamer though, from your list only 4, 5, 11 and 12 would rank anywhere near the top

I'd almost say 12 is incompatible with 1,2,3 and 10...

Those release cycles are way too short for quality balance testing.

Something in between Guild Wars, with 2 stand-alone expansions including 1/3rd the content of the base game, both leading to massive OP/years of rebalancing, and Starcraft with 1 expansion containing 6 new units and near perfect balance would be great!

 

June 23, 2009 4:53:07 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

awesome!

keep up the good work!

June 23, 2009 4:54:35 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Quoting drugfreeboy,
gotta admit that its usually auto lose in any team-based game (regardless of genre but definitely RTS type games) if one of your guys quit and you are left with an ai...can't really single demigod out on that...

 

Yeah but in Demigod a 2v2 can become a 3v1 with your AI "teammate" feeding the other team.

 

 

If that list of yours comes true, this will be the best PC game ever to me

June 23, 2009 5:01:02 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

im gonna do my best on the sales part

If i can get a demo pls

June 23, 2009 5:13:49 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

I'm hoping that Demigod can jump into the support modle of SINS, meaning that we can get a bunch of updates, everybody is happy, then we can get some even larger bags of goodies in the form of inexpensive expansions once or twice a year! That would make me a happy camper! 

Have to mention I've been quite happy with impulse too, and have been picking up several older titles like Heroes V Tribes of the East cheap after I could not longer get them off the store shelves. 

 

 

June 23, 2009 5:19:51 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Cant wait. And glad to see Demigod seem to have an excellent future!!

 

OH ANd I think we need something better than just showing pings.... there should be a kinda metter that show the real connection status.

And maybe something that check computer speed because Ive played soooo many game with people with sucky hardware and THIS almost made me left Demigod.

June 23, 2009 5:25:31 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Will there be a favor reset or not?

I have been told that a stats reset would take place, for as for favor, I am uncertain. I would prefer that favor remain as-is, since the more time players are allowed to acquire favor items, the more balanced the playing field becomes between the hardcore and the casual.

June 23, 2009 5:26:21 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Very nice to hear indeed. v1.1 sounds as awesome as it has been sounding. And I get to see all my graphics with this one(has nvidia 7000 series).

I hope you get to continue to implement even some of the changes mentioned. Even if yall just single out 1 nice little update every month or two, which might be better than groups of things that may not be finished. It would keep the game constantly changing and encourage people to keep trying new things.

June 23, 2009 5:26:30 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Looking forward to the update tomorrow, nice to see the well needed tweaks to priests.

 

And really hoping you guys can eventually make the top 3 of your "wishlist" start happening.

June 23, 2009 5:29:20 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Can't wait for the patch and the full patch notes.

 

Hope we can see a good bit of those enhancements you have listed.

Quoting Wagnard,
Cant wait. And glad to see Demigod seem to have an excellent future!!

Nice to see you, been a while since we have played together.  Hope things are going well.

 

On the idea of changes, if you are still looking for an innovative way to match people based on personality type, let me plug my previous idea.  This may be too big of an idea to try to tackle, but what about a playstyle chart instead of just a karma chart.  You always said that you wanted the match making system to be like eharmony for gaming.  Here is the idea:

People have 6-8 categories they can fit into.  Two of these categories are diametrically opposed.  So basically you have the personality/job chart from high school (social psychology), but this one is for gamers.  When you log in you put what kind of player you are and what type you like to be matched with.  So for example (on a scale of 0-10):

 

Would you say in game you are:

Quiet and Silent<---------->Talkative

What kind of teammates do you like:

Quiet and Silent<---------->Talkative

Do you like to:

Taunt/Trash Talk<---------->Help others

Do you like teammates who:

Taunt/Trash Talk<---------->Help others

Do you prefer to:

Win<---------->Have Fun

Do you prefer teammates who play to:

Win<---------->Have Fun

 

This system rates you and places you in a quadrant and tries to match you with people in the quadrant you prefer to play with and who prefer to play with people in your quadrant.  The other advantage to this is competitive players will not try to join the groups where "people play to have fun" or they will also have teammates with this style.  This really gives a new dimension to the game.

 

Then post game you have the opportunity to rate people as like or dislike or nothing.  The key to this is that if you rate someone as like or dislike, a box pops up asking why.  This gives you the familar choices:  they were quiet, talkative, taunted, helped, fun, or focused on winning.  This is the key.  You do not change their karma but add a variable to their personality profile.  By giving your input you slightly affect their impulse gamer personality.  Also, and here is the other key, you also affect your "wants" or "desires".  So the questions you answered about who you want to play are slightly affected, as well.  This further refines your profile.  Interestingly, this also does not assign a judgement such a good or bad, but rather your perception (like or dislike) of an experience (their playstyle).

 

I am a med student who has created several studies and one I spent a lot of time on was a personality study.  This is also a variant of the simple personality/occupational job profile that is standard fare for social psychologists.  I know this is hugely abitious, but it is also extremely sound.  This is very doable from a study design idea and seems fairly easy to program as well.  What are all your thoughts on it?

June 23, 2009 5:31:00 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Please expect a hug from my ambassador:

June 23, 2009 5:34:13 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Agreed.  No info on favor reset... could we please get an answer on that?  I'm really excited regarding the info provided here about the update.  Thanks for the post, Frogboy!  I'm looking forward to tomorrow!  The news about modding support for 1.2 is very encouraging.  Thanks again for the reassurance that we won't just get a few updates and then this puppy will be put out to pasture! I'm glad there is a stat reset at this point, but I hope we don't see another one after this. 

June 23, 2009 5:35:40 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Superb feedback to the community AS ALWAYS. I don't usualy bother using caps, but it really needs to be said.

DG is an awsome online experience for me personaly and the game has a lot of possibilities for the future. To help fund some of the 'wants', I really hope an expansion pack is in the back of peoples minds.

June 23, 2009 5:49:11 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Quoting Trigeminal,
Can't wait for the patch and the full patch notes.

Quoting Wagnard, reply 15Cant wait. And glad to see Demigod seem to have an excellent future!!
Nice to see you, been a while since we have played together.  Hope things are going well.

 

Ya things are going better for now. Thanks for asking

 

June 23, 2009 5:52:55 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Good Job GPG/Stardock...

June 23, 2009 5:53:24 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Nice update, looking forward to it! Thanks Mr. Frog

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